Death's Concession
by Salaphina
Summary: Sirius falls through the veil but Harry, knowing he is going to loose the last of his wizarding family, manages to grab him just before he slips through. He struggles to pull his godfather back, unknowingly challenging death for him. HP/Death Slash


A.N.: This is a new story idea I had and just _needed _to put up. Will most likely just be one more chapter unless I get some more inspiration.

Warning: A very, very powerful Harry, a munipulative Dumbles, a character from the life of a Potter ancestor, and a major revision to the end of the fifth book. And some Slash thrown in for fun.

The first three paragraphs are straight out of the book. Which I don't own.

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**Death's Concession**

**By Salaphina**

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Only one couple was still battling, apparently unaware of this new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: He was laughing at her. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.

The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.

Harry didn't waste a second thinking about what he was doing. He dropped Neville and rushed down the steps, solely focused on getting to the arch, on pulling Sirius back.

He couldn't lose him too! Sirius was family, the only real family he had left. If he lost him too, if he was taken away…he'd have no one. Sure, he'd have Ron and Hermione, but they had their families. They could survive without him and him without them.

But Sirius…not without Sirius.

Sirius had regained himself about halfway through the veil. This gained precious seconds, seconds that Harry used to grab his godfathers hands just as they were about to slide through. Later, when Harry's brain regained control of his body and he actually thought about what was going on he wouldn't remember how he did it with the tears pooling in his eyes, blurring his view of Sirius and wetting his cheeks as they fell.

Harry braced his feet against an uneven part of the platform. Then he had a moment of shear panic when he lost his footing and his feet slid toward the now feared veil. His panic grew as his feet slipped forward ,hit the veil and…

Stopped. He went no farther as his feet braced against the portal. His tears were now in relief at that one blessing. The thought that death didn't want him crossed his mind but he brushed it aside as he pulled Sirius toward him. It was slow going, literally pulling him back from death. The Death Eaters and Order Members were forgotten by him even as they, Dumbledore in the lead, gathered around the dais, in awe and even a little fear not for the boy in front of them but of him.

Harry pulled steadily, having gotten Sirius out to his elbows, till his looked up, expecting to find hope, or joy in the eyes of the man he was struggling to pull from death. Instead he saw love, deeper than he imagined the tortured, wasted away old convict would have for him, the reminder of the friend forever lost.

But he also saw sadness, and a deep resignation that made him cry harder, hard enough to make him choke and his death grip slip, Sirius's hands, wet with sweat and tears falling from his face as he hunched over them, slid from his.

He scrambled, tears coming harder due to desperation, to snatch his godfathers hands, fingernails digging in, snapping the index fingernail off halfway as he tried to dig it into one of Sirius's numerous calluses.

He hung on, ignoring the pain and the blood flowing from his finger as he pulled Sirius as far as he could, feet braced, knees bent, before collapsing back, his hands clutching Sirius's with a desperation that brought several of the Order members watching to shed tears of their own and a strength and determination that made the few non-crazy Death Eater question what exactly they were doing fighting on the side of a man who ran from death rather than the boy who faced and fought it head on.

They were all so preoccupied by the sight of what was happening it took them several moments to notice the tall, cloaked figure standing just to the right of the arch. He stayed there for several more minutes after they realized he was there before walking, slowly, cautiously toward Harry, who was laying, feet braced against the arch, trying desperately to think of a way to pull his godfather back to safety. Then the thought struck him that Sirius, having been so long stuck almost dead, that he might not be the same when he came back through. If he had any tears left to cry, he would have cried them then.

The cloaked figures soft footsteps caused Harry to look up when the being stood almost directly over him. Then the hood was swept off to reveal a pale, dark haired man with black eyes smiling down at him. The smile looked out of place on the man's face, like he was unaccustomed to smiling. But he didn't seem to notice it's out of place feel as he gazed at Harry with a mix of amusement, admiration, and, oddly, affection.

The man kneeled down by Harry and looked him in the eye. His smile became wider as he glanced at the hands that clutched those of his godfather, bloody and ragged as they were.

He looked back at Harry's eyes and said, "Hello Harry James Potter." His voice made everyone in the room besides Harry gasp. It sounded soft, almost to the point of not being heard, but it also had a ringing quality to it. Like the last, fading toll of a bell. And it contrasted beautifully, if harshly, with his ebony hair and intensely dark eyes. They were strong, if pleasing, but other than that, hard to describe. Like a rare, exotic blend of extremely strong coffee. But his voice was the cream and sugar; it softened his dark intensity and made it all the more attractive.

Harry turned his eyes up to look this stranger in the eye. He could see with just his eyes that this man was no wizard, but at the same time innately magical, and very powerful. He was also beautiful, charming if a bit withdrawn judging by the smile that was obviously not accustomed to gracing the face of this stranger. And he knew Harry's name. That puzzled him.

"Who are you? How…" The words came out in a croak.

The stranger held up a hand, knowing the questions were coming. After all, he knew this boy better than the back of his own hand. And so he should. Had he not watched this amazing, talented, unpredictable boy all his life? Sitting on the side lines since the day he was born, waiting for a chance to step out of the wings and make himself known to the boy that had fascinated him since before birth, when he amused himself in the womb by making his mothers spells go awry. The amount of power the boy had exhibited always astonished him when he thought of it. He inwardly scowled at the remembrance of the dampening and weakening spells that had been put on the boy when he was just two months old. But then chuckled to himself at the thought of how many _layers _of spells they had to put on Harry.

He looked back at Harry and said in an even tone, friendly and calm, if amused. "I am Death Harry James Potter. And I must admit, no one has tried so vehemently to keep some one who should rightfully be mine from me before. Even those who say they would rather die than let go the ones they love let go eventually. What about this man is so special that you would fight _me _for him?" The emphasis he put on the reference to himself made it clear that no one had taken on a task thought to be futile.

But Harry just looked at him, eyes welling up but his body did not have enough moister to make the flow over, and croaked, throat dry and cracked, "He's all I have left."

Death had expected this answer, himself having taken all others away from him. But it struck his heart, the fabled heart that didn't exist, none the less. He cursed in his head the existence of Tom Marvolo Riddle, the man who was responsible for nearly all the unnatural deaths in the last half-century, whether it be his verdict or his influence and memory that caused it. Despite whatever stories there had been written about him he was an entity that preferred people come to him naturally, though it is true that once he had a person he didn't like them taken from him. But he would make an exception for Harry…

That thought caused his mind and made his smile grow more joyful. If he could do this for Harry maybe Harry would be his…what was that word? Friend? He had never had a friend before, even when he was human, but was determined to make Harry James Potter his first.

For said boy seeing the man before him smile, or seeing Death smile, he supposed was more accurate, had made Harry's spirit lift. After the whole fiasco with being convinced Sirius was a convict he had decided not to judge people by what _others _saw in them. So what if some people thought Death was evil. The being in front of him didn't seem cruel or malicious or even unpleasant.

Death, smile still on his face, leaned down and said, "Harry James Potter, you say you want to save this man because his is all you have left, but do you love him?"

Harry nodded without hesitation.

"Good. I wasn't about to give this opportunity to someone who couldn't rise to the challenge." He winked. So charmingly that most of the females in the crowd were tempted to sigh. "If I told you that if you can pull your godfather I will concede all rights to him, make sure that not only will him return the way he was and return to full health do you think you could do it?"

Harry wasted no more time and jerked Sirius's arms as far out of the veil as he could, grabbed his arm at the elbow, turned over, dug his nails (or rather what was left of them) and slowly, laboriously pulled Sirius back through the veil inch by inch. His already tired body began trembling when he had gotten his now unconscious godfather half way through. But he just paused for a few, long, tensely silent minutes to regain his strength and pushed on.

After a half-hour Harry's fingers were ripped and bleeding openly due to his grasping at the gagged, uneven rock. He was so focused on bringing back his godfather that he didn't realize that Sirius was all the way back through till Death came over and gripped his shoulder, drawing Harry's tired, wavering gaze to his still strongly smiling face.

"It's over, Harry James Potter. Look…" He pointed to the dirty, unconscious but alive body of Sirius behind Harry.

Harry was still for a few seconds before slowly getting to his knees, his whole body shaking with the fresh wave of adrenalin coursed through his veins. He hesitantly reached forward to put his fingertips on his godfathers face. After confirming that the sight before him, of Sirius on this side of the veil and breathing he somehow found the strength to lunge forward desperately, while at the same time gently reaching for and picking up Sirius's body to cradle it to his chest like the precious thing it was and crying out in happiness.

Death, wishing to give Harry time to recover in private turned to the group of people gathered. He was going to address the Order members first and then dealing with the Death Eaters (That name always made him laugh. These jokers wouldn't know death if it bit them in the ass.) But the later would have to come first judging by the crazy, glazed look in Malfoy Sr.'s eye as he contemplated attacking Harry in his moment of weakness.

Sickened and angered at the thought of them hurting his (admittedly future) friend he let his temper go. The room darkened. Even against the glow of the veil behind him only his outline and his glowing, angry eyes could be seen the room was so dark. He released his power from the strict control he usually had it under to let it crackle in the air around him, making all those watching jump. Even Harry looked up upon feeling the level of power the man was emitting. Then, voice now as dark as his eyes, yelled, "All those who have the mark of and are loyal to the," he sneered," so called Dark Lord will clear out or," He grinned, so unlike the smile he had before, and sent shivers down the spines of all who seen it (Luckily Harry was behind him,) "or I will personally take all those who remain with me when I go back home."

Immediately the Lestranges, the Malfoys and most of the others all vanished. A few stragglers were left but when the Order members turn, drawing wands in the same movement, Death said, all darkness gone, "Leave them."

Harry looked up to see the Order members caught between obeying this powerful man and not going against the powerful man they had, till now, followed that was now glaring at…well, at Death.

Harry took pity on them, "Why?" His voice was nothing more than a croak as the word grated against his raw, dry throat.

Death turned to Harry, smiling again at the sight of Harry, strong, loyal, loving Harry still cradling his godfather as the man now came to a little at a time, squirming in Harry's arms. "Because they are my spies." He came forward and, after looking at Harry for permission, checked Sirius's pulse and temperature before looking up again. He frowned as his gaze went back to the Death Eaters. "Except those two." He pointed to the two men who were at the back and thought for a moment before waving his hand dismissively. "I will deal with them latter." He turned to the three claimed as his spies, "Keep an eyes on them while I am busy. I will come speak to them soon." The Death Eaters/Death Spies were gone in a moment.

Harry, still holding his godfather after Death checked the room over before turning to The Order members and sending them off to do certain things that needed to be taken care of. Alert the backup that was waiting for news or a signal, head off the ministry officials sure to be arriving any moment with all the commotion, and the random, injured Death Eaters still wondering the Department of Mysteries, lost, confused, or out of their minds.

He sent them all away but one.

Dumbledore. Who he studiously ignored. While the old man frowning pointedly, clearly not liking being passed over by this powerful being, he being _thought_ the former most powerful person in the room.

Without acknowledging the Headmaster at all Death turned back to smile at Harry (who noticed the smile was looking more natural), and said, "I have to talk to this old coot for a few minutes. But I will be back to help you move your godfather in a moment."

Harry frowned; wanting to know what was going on but not wanting to leave Sirius or to fight with Death who had made it clear he usually doesn't give back people who have entered his territory.

His frown melted however at the wink Death threw him before saying, "Don't worry, I will tell you what this is all about when I get done with the old bag."

Harry nodded, happy he wasn't going to be kept out of things again.

Death, pleased at his perceptiveness in seeing what had made his (future) friend unhappy smiled even more widely as he stood and walked off the dais. When he stopped in front of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore however his smile melted into a scowl that not only startled him but made him a bit weary and more than a bit frightened.

Death seen Dumbledore's fear and it made his terrible scowl grow. "Come with me." And he walked away. Knowing perfectly well Dumbledore didn't like being looked down on or bossed around any more than he liked being ignored. But he knew the old man would follow none the less because he wanted to know what was going on and because he knew he would be beaten if he tried to say something against the way Death was acting.

Dumbledore brooded over this but when he thought about it ,it all seemed insignificant compared to what he could learn from this man. He put on his wise, caring old guardian face and thought of ways he was going to talk himself out of what ever he had done to make the deity mad. After all, he needed to get on the man's good side to learn from him and there was only one thing Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore liked more than to learn.

After all, knowledge is power. And power was the thing he liked most.

Death was aware and angered by the feelings he was getting from the man behind him. Not one of them was in any way related to happiness for the safe return of Sirius or pride at Harry's accomplishment in bringing him back. No, they were all centered on getting friendly with him. On getting whatever he could from him. This set him on edge. He hated this man who thought he was better at deceiving than the master deceiver himself.

He detested this man who was the only one who deigned to think himself better than Death.

Death rolled his eyes. The last Death would have killed him for that. Dumbledore was lucky he had retired a few millennia and was now living in Fiji with his wife Fate. But that Death hadn't known the old man as well as this one. Because this Death had been watching Dumbledore even longer than he had been watching Harry. He had been watching him since the whole thing with his sister. Death didn't blame Dumbledore for falling in love. But no matter how much you love them you don't let wizards like Grindelwald near your family.

Death thought about all the things he had seen in his reign as the deity Death and all the things he had seen and the crimes Albus Dumbledore had committed in that time, since the 1920's, even before Death had started watching the man.

The most heinous of those, in death's opinion being the restrictions placed on one Harry James Potter. Which he was fully prepared to address and correct.

Now.

He led the Headmaster as far as the next chamber before turning and looking him in the eye with the coldest look he could muster. Which was pretty cold, if he could say so himself.

The old man faltered and stopped short at the sight of the sneer on his face. This left about three feet between them. It was just enough for Death to let out a good enough amount of his power to put some fear in the ancient codger without killing him.

"You are a foolish old man. Selfish and arrogant as well." He made sure to say this without letting him know what exactly he was referring to. Let's see if he could get the old man to confess to anything he didn't know about yet.

He watched with satisfaction as the man before him quickly changed the direction his thoughts were going in to put on a sad, regretful face. He nodded sagely, "I have realized just how many mistakes I have made. It is terrible what has happened here tonight. It was so good of you to let Harry keep Sirius. It would have destroyed him to loose the last of his wizarding family, the man that was so close to the father he never got the chance to know." His face was a mask of elderly concern.

What a load of bull, Death thought. Any other man would have bough it too. But he knew the man to well to fall for it. He could see the pleasure that he had picked a scene the man had been practicing for years. Pitying Harry Potter.

"Then you agree that this is entirely your fault?" He through that out there into the air with relish, just as four Order members, Tonks, Moody, Arthur Weasley, and Remus Lupin, opened the door behind Dumbledore without his noticing. They all stopped and looked at him over their soon to be former leaders shoulder, searching for the truth.

All while the old man sputtered. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about!"

Death inclined his head to look Dumbledore in the eye. "Of course you don't. You aren't aware that weakening and restricting spells _you _put on Harry James Potter, could have been taken off allowing him to master not only Occlumency but Legilimency, wand less magic, if he even needed to try to obtain that at his level, and reached his animagus form all before his first year at school, and that in having his normal power level all of this would have been avoided."

Dumbledore paled but his expression didn't slip besides that. Death steeled himself for the lies that were sure to spew form the old man's mouth. The Order Members behind Dumbledore were standing, open mouthed at the man they thought of as a saint with something akin to horror and disgust. Tonks however had the gift of not being in the Order as long as the others and was reacting with anger at the thought of such things being done to Harry. Her hair turned a flaming red and her eyes went a pure, bottomless black. Death was very impressed. He was almost frightened.

Dumbledore, still not noticing the people behind him said, "Harry's ward is for the best. Had he been able to access that power we would not have been able to control him."

Death snorted. "You mean you would not have been able to control him. Because had he his full power he would have realized that you, arrogant, selfish, vain man that you are put those _wards,_" he made sure to put emphasis on the plural, and was happy to see Tonks's eyebrows go up and her mouth the word 'wards', "on him because he is more powerful than you are. And even if that was your reason that does not explain you tampering with his levels of intelligence."

All the Order Members looked angry now. Moody's eye was spinning madly. And Albus was beginning to look nervous.

"If I hadn't he would have surely realized about the wards." Ah, there it was. The Defensive tone that set in concrete what he had done to the Order Members. Dumbledore heard the scuffle behind him and glanced back only to pale further at seeing Remus and Arthur hold back an irate Tonks.

The headmaster looked back at Death with astonishment in his eye as he tried to digest what had just happened.

And Death just smiled and said, "I'll be going to take care of those spells now. Have to get them off Harry as soon as possible so something like this won't happen again." before walking back out the door in to the main chamber. He happily left the room to the sounds of the old man getting screamed at by an angry metamorphmagus, an irate werewolf, a grisly old auror and a fiercely protective father.

* * *

Harry attempted to calm himself down after Death left the room. He frowned. He couldn't keep thinking of the man as Death, he would have to remember to ask if he had a name.

Something about him enthralled Harry. Harry snorted. He shouldn't be surprised. After the fiasco with Cho he realized it all went to pot because, despite the fact that he thought he felt something for her in the beginning, by the end was just glad for a reason to end it. He had felt so uncomfortable around her and her giggling friends that it was a relief when he had an excuse to stop talking to her. Then when he had tried to find another girl he was interested in he found there wasn't one. And even Cho hadn't been all that attractive to him, she had just been the best choice.

His train of thought was cut of by a groan from the man in his lap. He looked down and shifted Sirius into a more comfortable position as he woke up. When his eyes fluttered open he looked up at Harry and looked confused for a moment. Then he smiled and looked relieved.

"Harry, it must have all been a dream Harry!"

Harry was frightened. Didn't Death say he was going to be all right? That meant mentally too didn't it?

He struggled to sit up. "Harry, I dreamed I had died. I was fighting Bella and she hit me with a spell that through me through the veil-" His eyes had landed on the veil no more then eighteen inches from his foot. He looked back at Harry with a terrified question in his eyes before he panicked.

"Harry, tell me they didn't get you too! Tell me you're not dead!" Clearly he wasn't thinking. Either that or he thought that the other side of the veil was a mirror reflection of this side.

Harry grabbed Sirius's face and looked him the eye. "I am not dead and neither are you."

"But I fell through Harry. I remember I did." His panic didn't lessen.

Harry tried to bring his godfathers focus back to him. "Do you remember me grabbing you, Sirius? Do you remember me grabbing hold of you just before you slipped through all the way?" Harry's voice was desperate. Death said he would be alright and Harry knew he would be if he could just get it into his head that he wasn't dead.

Sirius's panic was replaced by confusion mixed with hope. Harry's heart, which had felt like it was being held in a vice, suddenly was released with the force of the relief he felt. Sirius had the beginnings of a smile on his face. "Did you save me Harry? Did you save my life? Am I alive?"

Harry smiled, knowing Sirius would be okay. "You're alive."

His godfather let out a whoop of joy and flung his arms around Harry's neck. Harry laughed in joyous relief. Death might not be so bad. All he had to do was not be willing to give Sirius up and he got him back. He wondered if he should tell Sirius about the circumstances in which he got him back. He was mulling over this question while Sirius was celebrating, thanking him, God, Fate…everyone but the person whom the credit belonged, when Harry spotted Death standing off to the side behind Sirius, waiting to be acknowledged.

His decision was made for him. He held up one finger in a 'one moment' gesture and pulled back from Sirius's hold.

Sirius was still so happy his eyes were glistening. "I don't know how I can thank you enough-"

"Well, you can start by not giving me all the credit." Harry's smile was slightly teasing. "I am not a miracle worker you know. I might have pulled you back but you wouldn't be healthy or sane without the help of someone else."

Sirius slapped Harry lightly on the arm, laughing. "Well, who else can I thank?"

Harry's smile was slightly mocking this time. "Not God, that's for sure."

Sirius looked confused for a moment before laughter rang out behind him. He jumped at the sound and, seeing the black cloak, whipped out his wand, pointing it at Death. Harry, who had been distracted by Deaths ringing laugh jumped up, laughing at the fierce look on his godfathers face. He grabbed Sirius's wand hand and pushed it down.

"Harry! What are you doing?"

Harry laughed again. "Sirius, meet death."

Sirius growled. "So he _is_ a Death Eater!"

"No, he is _Death_." Sirius, again, looked thoroughly confused. Harry smiled. "You see, when I tried to pull you back through, I challenged Death to his claim on your soul. The soul that should have rightfully been his the moment you touched the veil."

Death started forward, catching both their attention. "He being the first to do so made me intrigued. I told him that if he could pull you out of the veil that not only would I concede my rights to your soul I would make sure you came back healthy and sane."

Sirius's face wrinkled in a frown for a moment before smoothing out as he rolled his eyes. He turned to Harry, "Only you could convince Death to do you a favor," he said.

Harry laughed and Death grinned. Harry slapped Sirius's back before pushing him in the direction on the door he had seem Remus go through. "You'll find Moony through there I believe. I need to talk to Death for a moment."

Sirius nodded and went off in the direction he was told. Neither of them missed the satisfied look on the third person in the room's face, knowing what the overly protective, and canine like man was going to find out on the other side of the door.

He looked up, his smile turning to one of pure pleasure as he watched Harry come closer.

"Look, I wanted to thank you for what you did." As Death began to open his mouth Harry cut him off, "No. I don't care if you didn't do it for me, the point is you did it and I am thankful."

Harry watched, half-surprised half-pleased, as Death's smile became softer and more affectionate. "I was just going to say that it was my pleasure. To see such a show of bravery and love, such loyalty is a gift you only get once in a thousand years." He chuckled. "Or twice in a thousand years really. I will never forget the night your mother died. The look of love and determination on her face was a work of art." He looked at Harry's face, the expression a mix of shock, desperation, hesitation, and curiosity.

Finally the curiosity over came everything else and he asked, "You were there?"

Death nodded and set off to walk around the dais, Harry following behind. "In a sense. I had been watching Dumbledore for some time before you were born. But when your mother was pregnant with you, many things happened that caused my attention to be drawn to you." He gave Harry a sideways look and smiled.

Harry was intrigued, "What happened?"

Death was delighted he asked. "Well, even before she realized she was pregnant strange thing started happening to her magic. Spells went awry or did something completely different than what they were supposed to do. When she went to the Healer at Hogwarts, Madam…?"

"Pomfrey."

He nodded his head, remembering now. "Yes, Madam Pomfrey. Your mother went to her to get her magic checked, thinking that there must be something influencing it to have it act so. Well, when the Madam told her the influence was coming from within, that higher levels of magic than her own were developing within her, separate but mingling with her own, strengthening them to level she didn't know how to control. When they discovered this they called in Dumbledore, who they thought was almighty," He threw a one raised eyebrow at Harry, "to let him figure out what to do with the obviously abnormal levels of power coming from the child within Lily Evans. He obviously set about to his manipulations to best benefit from the situation." Harry threw a shocked look at the deity beside him. Death nodded, "Yes Harry. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a manipulating sod and never let anyone tell you different, especially not him." Harry looked away, thinking this over. And now that he thought about it the more obvious it seemed. How many things had Harry been told that seemed fishy? How many things had he done that had seemed suspicious…till he turned those innocent, God-be-damned twinkling eyes on you. Harry shook his head, how had he not seen it before? The man, no matter how many times he said he was sacrificing for the greater good, always seemed to come out on top.

Harry's musings were cut short by Sirius bursting back in to the room, followed by a disgruntled Remus and a clearly furious Tonks.

Sirius reached them first, yelling, "Fix him! Fix what that old bastard did to him!"

While Harry tried to figure out what was going on, Death calmly replied, "I fully intend to. Merely give me a moment to finish explaining the situation to Harry."

Sirius visible calmed some, nodding his head and turning away to give him time and to explain to the just arriving Tonks and Remus what Death had said.

Death, meanwhile, turned back to Harry with a sigh. "What Sirius was talking about is what I have been explaining to you. You see, Dumbledore obviously could feel the level of your power even inside the womb. He realized that when you, a child not even born could have a power level that rivaled any in the magical world he realized that when you matured you would be possibly the most powerful wizard the Magical World has ever seen. So he prevented this from happening. He could not have a being walking around that was more powerful than he, the Great Almighty Dumbledore." This was said in a very mocking, disbelieving tone, like he couldn't believe anybody could fall for the old mans act. "So, he separated your growing magical core from your mother's so that she could go back to her daily life and told her it was probably nothing more than a phase in the pregnancy. Madam Pomfrey tried to tell Lily Evans the truth but Dumbledore assured Lily Evans that the healer was over reacting and that there was nothing to worry about. She believed him. But the magical outbursts were concentrated in other directions. They got so bad that Dumbledore was afraid that your parents would realize that it was more than a phase, that your were, in fact, extraordinarily powerful." Death smiled. It was a smile that told Harry he was not going to like what was going to be said next. "So, when you were two months old, Dumbledore planted the idea in Minerva's mind to invite your parents to tea one last time before they went in to hiding. While you were in the next room, taking a nap, he came in with the pretenses of just 'saying hello to the little one' and placed restrictions on you, on you powers, on your intelligent, and, if I am not mistaken, your emotional and mental maturity."

Harry was flabbergasted. The revelations that Dumbledore was pulling strings they didn't know about was one thing. Finding out that the old man was tampering with his magic, his brain, and possibly his emotions was another all together. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to sort out what he had just been told. He turned to Death and asked, "Can you fix it? Can you fix what he has done to me?"

Death grinned a wide grin, happy Harry had asked. "Yes, I can. That's one of the reasons I came here in fact." He stepped closer to Harry before frowning. "You will have to let me into your head Harry, are you okay with that? The wards around your intelligence are in your mind, put there with Legilimency and will have to be removed the same way." His voice was hesitant, telling Harry he really was asking for permission and would respect his decision should he choose not to let him in. But after having to let Snape in his head he felt no reason not to let in this man who, in just a short time, he felt a surprising connection to into his mind.

So he nodded, and looked Death in the eye. When he raised his wand Harry cut him off with a sudden thought. "Wait."

Death lowered his wand, eyebrows raised. "Second thoughts?"

"No, sudden curiosity." Harry grinned. "I would think that since I am going let you in my head I deserve to know if you have another name besides Death before you go diving in."

The man he had been calling death looked startled. "Well," he started, "I do have a name, a human name," he clarified. He looks down and scratches the back of his neck. "You see all Deaths start out as human at one time. And we all have our human names but it has been almost three thousand years since I have taken over from the last Death, I am afraid I have forgotten it." His laugh was a little embarrassed.

Harry nodded for a moment before seeming to make a decision. "Alright then, we'll give you a new name." He told the nameless man.

To say he was shocked was a gross understatement. But Harry went on, ignoring the look on his face. "Are there any names you happen to like?"

Death smiled crookedly, "I have always been partial to the name Harry."

This shocked Harry to stillness for a moment before he scowled, and oddly or so thought Death, blushed. "To bad, that one is taken."

Death chuckled, and watched as Harry's blush deepened. He didn't know exactly what this meant but was oddly delighted by it.

Harry broke through his thoughts. "Any others?"

Death thought for a moment. "What about Philip?"

Harry deadpanned for what was possibly the first time ever. It kinda creeped Death out a little. "Oh yes, let's name ourselves after the Princes of England, Harry and Philip. Now we just need a Charles." Harry's eyes lit up. "What about William?"

Death was expressionless for a moment. Then he scowled. "Why William and not Philip? William is a Prince name too."

Harry shrugged. "I like William better."

Death rolled his eyes and became the newly dubbed William. "Okay."

Harry grinned. "Alright William, lets do this." Let calmed himself and turned his eye to the suddenly solemn eyes of William.

William took a deep breath and raised his hand toward Harry, letting loose his magic.

Harry was very aware of William's presence in his mind, purposely keeping tabs on his whereabouts so that he could see him take off the wards and search for any difference that might come about when they were gone.

William worked at the barriers. It would have been easy to just remove them but had he done it impatiently Harry might have never have gotten back what had been repressed. Dumbledore had integrated them so into Harry's mind that it was clear Dumbledore had made it so that only a wizard of his standard, and considering he thought he surpassed all only he, could get it open. It was hard, delicate work making sure to remove all traces of the wards while making sure not to damage Harry.

When he succeeded Harry was watching the magic work at the barriers inside him, unaware that over three hours had gone by, as the barriers finally fell away.

And he could definitely tell.

When they fell, Harry gasped at the amount of power that was set free. William quickly used his own extensive powers to set a barrier over Harry to keep the excess power in till Harry could get a handle on it.

"Pull it back in Harry! Don't let it leave your control. If you do it will get away from you and could destroy anything!" Death was sure Harry could bring his powers under control but how long would it take he didn't know. His barriers were strong but so was Harry and his magic was wild, beating at the dome like barrier. He wasn't sure how much it could take.

Finally Harry, struggling with his control of his mind, his body, and his emotions, all affected by what had been let loose and magic's intense…hatred at being restricted by one Albus Dumbledore, managed to isolate the power source, his magical core and stop it from letting any more magic outside his body, letting that outside it fade in crackling sparks and pulses of energy. The magic was wild and…ecstatic at being finally let loose. And Harry knew this, knew what the magic felt. He could feel it in every vein, every muscle, every never and even in his head. Not that it said anything, not in words anyway. But it was surprisingly reminiscent of the Felix potion. Give him impressions, inclinations and vague ideas of thoughts that would have been forming had any tongue known to man.

But it wasn't controlling like the luck potion had done. It was part of him, a partner, ready to guide and be guided should he be willing to work with it. He felt enlightened and lightened physically, mentally, emotionally, and magically as the magic coursed through his body, searching for in trace of magic left from Dumbledore and happily destroying it.

Whatever magic the was found left from William was, shockingly or maybe not so shockingly, caressed then gently and slightly reluctantly ushered from the magic and body of Harry Potter.

By the time this process was over both Harry and Death were flustered. Being so powerful and his intrusion so recent there was a high level of William's magic in Harry and ever time Harry's magic found some the caress was slower, deeper than before, making them both shiver as the touch was drawn out.

When the process was over Harry's magic was chuckling evilly as William tried to remain standing, getting no help from purring magical core. The two studiously avoided each others eyes. They eventually managed to get out a 'thank you', a 'your welcome', and made their way back to the main chamber.


End file.
